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The Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center was established in 1986 in the old Commercial Bank of Dawson, built in 1907. The museum was established to store the history of the city and the surrounding areas from the 1900s relating to their medicinal waters. People came from far and wide, by train and wagon, to get baths and partake of Dawson Springs' healing waters. At one time there were 22 rooming houses and several large hotels built to accommodate these visitors. Today, all of that history can be found at the museum. 

More recently, the museum serves as an educational facility, with exhibits showing the work of local and visiting artists. Junior and senior high school students from the local high school art departments, with the help of their teacher, Mrs. Cindy Crider, also have a yearly art exhibit. Pictures of a local race car track and drivers from the 1950s are also on exhibit. We house the largest  collection of Japanese wood block prints and kimonos in the United States from collector, Mr. Claude Holeman. 

The Museum also hosts the Mack Sisk collection of pictures of the early days of Dawson Springs,  as well as a collection of pictures and general information from the Outwood Hospital, a federal TB facility for soldiers from WWI.

We have a reunion each year for for the 50-year graduating class.

We also host receptions for the visiting artists and authors as well as host book signings 

We have something for every one, so bring your children and come spend the afternoon with us, you may just be pleasantly surprised at what you find 

Admission is free.

Sylvia Thomas

Executive Director